


Something Brave

by Natashasolten



Category: Wiseguy
Genre: First Time, M/M, Non-Explicit, Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-11
Updated: 2013-01-11
Packaged: 2017-11-25 03:49:48
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,992
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/634809
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Natashasolten/pseuds/Natashasolten
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sonny tells Vinnie a story from his past that strengthens their rapidly growing intimacy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Something Brave

**Author's Note:**

> From an idea by my dear friend, T.B. Thank you!

Something Brave

by Natasha Solten

 

Today had been a sort of “loan-interest collection” day. Vinnie had driven to all the locations Sonny directed him to and made sure things went smoothly. Vinnie foiled one concealed weapon (maybe or maybe not about to be pulled,) one escapee (whose running technique was to flap his arms as his feet clapped awkwardly on the pavement,) talked smart to a rich nerdy guy who kept making lame excuses as to why he didn’t have the money (and the guy finally paid up…from his wallet,) stepped in front of Sonny when a guy too high to comprehend what was going on threw a wild punch (and ended up collapsed in Vinnie’s arms,) deliberately tripped into Sonny to knock him away from a sleazoid who was trying give a rapidly-turning-green Sonny Italian cheek kisses and wouldn’t stop (“I’m sorry, sir, my fault, I didn’t look before I stepped…” brushing pretend lint from Sonny’s jacket, straightening it, putting himself between Sonny and the sleazoid as the sleazoid kept up a leering, fake grin.) It had been one of those days.

Later, Sonny said, “That’s why I hire guys to collect. But Bernie called in sick and Cole’s wife just had a baby and…”

“Yeah, I know,” Vinnie said low, tossing his head to the side to keep from rolling his eyes and grinning at the same time. The underbelly of the Mafioso. There were no words.

He tried hard not to laugh. Failed.

The big deals, the real deals, the stuff the OCB craved intel on, seemed worlds away.

“You did good today.” Sonny topped off Vinnie’s drink—orange juice and vodka—and reached out with a friendly squeeze to his shoulder.

Vinnie lifted his hand to his eyes, finger and thumb pressing against the tears of mirth. He bit his lower lip to keep himself from totally losing it. Sonny’s laugh came then, an affectionate rumble. The room seemed to brighten with it. The air turned gold. He placed the pitcher of screwdrivers on the coffee table and collapsed next to Vinnie on the white leather couch of his office. The tone of his laughter rose.

Vinnie said, breath coming hard, “Maybe we need different jobs.”

Sonny’s eyes smiled at him through shining amusement. “Hey, we came away with fifty k.” Another laugh. “I’m not complainin’!”

“Fifty? Really?”

“Damn straight.”

“Fuck. Let’s go do it again tomorrow!”

Sonny said, “Yeah, well, we gotta leave them somethin’ to feed their families.”

“You’re a real saint, Sonny.”

Leaning back, Sonny sipped his drink. “Only on odd days.”

Vinnie glanced at him warmly.

“But I mean it,” Sonny continued. “You did great. Really really great.”

The heat that flooded Vinnie’s chest and stomach at the compliment was not unexpected, but not appropriate, either. Though he knew he shouldn’t, Vinnie loved when Sonny praised him. It was a problem, though. A hurdle he had not expected. He was undercover to gain Sonny’s trust, not for these sweet feelings that flushed and warmed his skin.

He could hear Frank’s voice in his head: “What’s this? You going soft on him, Vince?”

Soft. Yeah. Maybe. He’d never wanted to hurt Sonny. It had been Dave Steelgrave he’d been after from the very beginning. All Sonny had ever done was show him generosity, concern for his welfare, easy friendship. Sonny was incredibly street-smart, energetic, funny, fun. They both enjoyed the same interests, not just boxing but nearly everything else. Even an obscure sport such as handball became a shared joy between them. It was, simply, impossible not to like Sonny. The burning enthusiasm. The rush and danger of Sonny’s business. The super-secret pull of the dark, of mystery, of never knowing what the next day might bring. But it wasn’t really the mafia aspect of it that drew Vinnie. Never that. It was more personal. Sonny made him feel chosen, special, allowed through the locked gates of an exclusive club where everyone thought the guy in charge was an asshole when in reality he was an exuberant, enthusiastic lover of life whose business merely required strict enforcement of the rules.

Well, not “merely.” Sonny was the mark. Sonny was involved in some illegal operations. Sonny was not above murder if the job required it. Sonny was the bad guy. He did not forget this. Sometimes, though, he just didn’t care.

The lights were turned low now. Downtown Atlantic City shimmered in the windows. The outside offices disappeared in the dark. The day employees had all gone home.

Vodka melted and tingled in his stomach. Sonny put his drink down and moved the newspaper to the couch arm. His weight settled closer to Vinnie.

Vinnie felt so fine when Sonny’s hand touched his. He’d been waiting for this.

Of course he’d thought of it. But Sonny had to be the one to make the first move. If Vinnie did and it was a wrong move, Vinnie could lose his job. Sonny held all the cards.

Fingertips, tentative, smooth on the top of his hand gave him an opening now. He turned to look at Sonny’s face, at Sonny’s dark, glimmering eyes that held the edge of unspoken question. Looking at Sonny, like a sunrise of hope, Vinnie widened his own gaze, felt the smile tremble at the corners of his lips. He nodded just barely. Sonny moved forward.

Vinnie turned his hand up and curled his fingers around Sonny’s hand. Sonny gripped back, a welcoming answer. Their lips met, gently, and a gasp clutched at Vinnie’s lungs. This was fine. It was… It was what he wanted. This excitement. This fire. This man.

Everything else was so perfect between them. Why not have it all? Complete the circuit? And he was pleased to note his expectations of Sonny were right on target; there was genuine affection here. This wasn’t a rush to quick sex. It felt like something else. Something more real. Respect. Awe. Caring.

Vinnie had never wanted anything quick or dirty with Sonny. That wasn’t what he thought of when the temperature of his skin rose under Sonny’s lingering gazes. That wasn’t the reason he enjoyed Sonny, felt friendship for Sonny, loved Sonny. He wanted something else. Something more. If Sonny was capable of such wonderful, intensely lingering gazes, would he be capable of lingering touches as well? That was what Vinnie craved. Something pronounced, deep, like submerging himself in warm waterfalls of the wild and never wanting to come up.

How could Sonny make him feel like this so thoroughly? He’d fought it for awhile. He truly had. But he couldn’t win this fight. 

He heard Sonny’s voice again in memory: You did really good…

This was his reward. He was being let in all the way. By the mobster, the criminal, the mark. But it didn’t feel criminal, this thrill. Sonny’s lips were still fairly chaste, a dry pressing, taking his time. Wanting to know him. Sonny was not using Vinnie, teasing him, faking him out. No. He didn’t operate that way with Vinnie. From the beginning, he was being nice. Nice? Yes. Nice. This bad man. This enigma. This friend.

He kissed Vinnie thoroughly before offering, asking for… Vinnie let his lips part very slightly. Sonny was good. Real good. A good man. At least for now. He raised his arms. The heat between them flared up. He touched Sonny’s shoulders. Sonny touched his hair. Their breaths caught.

The phone rang.

Sonny’s body tensed. But he kept kissing Vinnie with searching intensity.

A second ring jarred him again. Sonny let up, blinking, wincing a little. “It’s my private line.”

Disappointed, Vinnie pushed him up, palms against his shoulder. “Go ahead.” But he sighed as he said it.

Their nerves over this uncanny closeness between them had finally been conquered. A good day, a comfortable moment, vodka…who could say when it might ever happen again? The magic recipe for intimacy between two guys who regardless of labels were now playing a very dangerous game…could it be repeated?

Sonny’s fingers curved gently against Vinnie’s head, then let go.

The phone rang again. “Damn,” Sonny muttered, moving in a swirl of brushed silk and a scent of warm desire to his desk. By the fifth ring, Vinnie heard Sonny pick up.

He sat quietly listening, the fires of his body slowly subsiding. He adjusted his clothing a bit for something to do as he shamelessly eavesdropped.

“Steelgrave,” Sonny said gruffly into the phone. Then, “Yeah. Hey. What’s the matter?” Pause. “What the hell happened? How…?” Another pause. A sigh. “Damn. I’m so sorry. I’ll do anything I can to help, of course.” More silence. “You want me there now? Yeah? Okay. Keep it together, honey, everything will be okay.” Another sigh. “Yeah, I’ll be right over.”

Vinnie heard the click of the phone as Sonny hung up. He turned to the side of the couch and looked at him. “Is there a problem?”

“It’s nothing.” Sonny didn’t look at him, brushed him off.

“Can I help?”

Sonny shook his head. “Thanks, no.”

Vinnie frowned. “Seriously, Sonny, I’m here for you.”

“I know. But this is just something…something I gotta take care of. Okay?”

Vinnie swallowed hard. Nodded tensely. Usually Sonny was so open with him. He told him everything. But now he was being evasive, nervous. Softly, “Yeah. Okay.”

Sonny looked up at his defeated tone. “I’m sorry. Really. I gotta go. Believe me, I’m really sorry.”

Vinnie stood up, stretching. “I said it’s okay. I got some stuff to do myself anyway.”

Sonny looked decidedly uncomfortable. “It’s just some personal business. I gotta…take care of it.”

“Sure, Sonny.” And Vinnie headed out of his office without looking back.

*

He tried to watch some TV in his suite but couldn’t pay enough attention to it to get involved in anything. After awhile, he took a long shower and headed for bed. He tried to read but that also got him nowhere. Sonny occupied his every thought.

What was Sonny up to? Why wouldn’t he let Vinnie help? And then, of course, he could not forget that kiss. That wonderful, thunderstrike of sensation when Sonny pressed his mouth to his, cupped his head, held him. A kiss like that was rare. It could end worlds.

He twitched and wiggled in his nice warm bed but could not relax.

Finally, he got up, went back out to his living room. He sat on his couch and leaned his elbows on his knees, running his hands through his hair. He simply could not stand not knowing what was going on. Sonny confided in him. Or so he thought. And after that kiss, well, he should have trusted Vinnie even more.

Curiosity got the best of him. But it was also the job. Spying defined his game.

He got up from the couch and dressed in jeans and a light blue t-shirt, then went downstairs.

He found out from the guys at the garage that Sonny had taken one of the cars. One of the men there said he left a number where he could be reached. He gave it to Vinnie.

When Vinnie called a woman answered. “Steelgrave.” And he knew the voice. Dave Steelgrave’s wife. Sonny’s sister-in-law. Had something bad happened to the family again? So soon? Could it be Tracy was in trouble? Or another relative?

Vinnie said nothing and hung up, but felt somewhat vindicated in that he’d at least gathered a lot more information than he’d had five minutes ago.

He wasn’t about to go over to Dave’s house, interrupting the family at night during a possible new tragedy. But he wasn’t sleepy, either, so he hung out in the garage and waited. Waited for Sonny.

He washed the limo. He tinkered with the Porsche. He joked around with the night duty guards. They even ordered a pizza on their break and invited Vinnie to join them.

At a little past midnight Sonny pulled up looking tired and tense. Maybe even perturbed.

Vinnie greeted him with a shy smile.

Sonny looked surprised to see him. “You’re not asleep,” he stated matter-of-factly.

“I was worried. You just took off,” Vinnie began.

Sonny brushed him off with a wave. “I told you it was no big deal. Nothing to worry about, Vincenzo.” He threw him a soft smile. “But you waited for me all this time?”

“Well…yeah.” Vinnie let his breath out with a little surge of annoyance. “I wasn’t gonna just walk way…”

Sonny shook his head. He wasn’t mad, Vinnie could see that. He looked over his shoulder at the guards, then back at Vinnie. “Come upstairs with me.”

“Sure.” It was like air being let out that he’d held inside himself for hours. The relief at being included again, at being in step with Sonny again.

Sonny led him up past the offices and to his penthouse. They rarely went up there together. It was an extra measure of trust from Sonny to ever allow Vinnie there. Even now.

In the living room, Vinnie collapsed on the couch, watching Sonny take off his suit jacket and fold it neatly on a chair back.

Sonny went to his bar and fixed two drinks, whiskey straight in square cut glasses. He came over to the couch and handed one to Vinnie.

Vinnie took his but did not drink. Looking up, he said, “You gonna tell me what’s going on?”

Sonny let out a short laugh, but it wasn’t amusement. “It’s nothing. I told you.”

“Well, it’s gotta be something. Why so secretive?” Vinnie put his glass on the coffee table.

“Secretive? Does it seem like that? It’s just…stupid, really, a dumb promise I made, and one I feel entirely obligated to keep. Especially now, after Dave…” His eyes dimmed. The energy of Sonny pulled in suddenly, as if it relocated somewhere faraway.

“No promise is stupid, Sonny.”

Sonny caught his gaze. “Yeah, you would say that. You have that moral backbone you can’t hide. The ideal that somehow the world is fair.”

“No, I don’t think it’s fair. But if I can be that way, then, well, I have to try.”

Sonny reached out then, fingertips barely brushing Vinnie’s cheek. “I don’t know where you came from. But I like it.”

Vinnie leaned his head into Sonny’s hand just as Sonny withdrew. Their eyes met again. “Just tell me, Sonny. What’s got you upset?”

Sonny took a deep breath. “You wanna hear a story?”

Vinnie shrugged.

“Okay, I’ll tell you a story. Long ago, when my father was still alive, he ran this place. He was old even then, though, and Dave was ready to inherit the mantle so to speak. My dad was into a lot of shady things but toward the end of his life he wasn’t comfortable with it all anymore. He had changed with age. He didn’t want to leave his sons such a dark inheritance, at least not the more messy aspects, the dirtier angles of making a buck, the pies he had his fingers in that were rotten to the core. In fact, he once told me that we could take all the businesses and turn them legit and still be rich men. The problem was, you didn’t just leave guys like Mahoney swinging in the wind. You didn’t just turn your back on the up-and-coming Patrices of the world. It was too hard to turn everything around. But some things he could decide to avoid, not be party to. Human trafficking. That was one rule we had. We didn’t mess with that. Brothels pay their share, but actual slavery…forced rape, snuff films, girls…and even boys… bought and sold overseas never to be heard from again…he would never condone it. He messed with drugs and arms, but not people in that way. Not living merchandise.

“And that brings me to now. Living merchandise. Part of the story.” He gave a quick smile.

Vinnie was transfixed. What was Sonny going to tell him?

“One day,” Sonny continued, “my dad asks Dave to go out on an errand. Much like we did today. It was a collection errand. Some people owed us money. A lot of money. I wasn’t sure who they were; my father was not as forthcoming to me because he said I lacked the proper coldness.” A chuckle. “Said I was too impulsive, too hyped, too sympathetic and emotional for my own good.” He rolled his eyes. “So he sent Dave. Dave was cold.” He shrugged. “You know. He could get this look and everything in the room would freeze. Even when we were kids he was scary. He doted on me, but to everyone else he was, well… kids were afraid of him. He could take out a contingent of unfriendlies, never bat an eye, then sleep like a baby. It’s not like I’m not capable, but my father said I think too damn much. Anyway, Dave gets sent on this mysterious errand. My good, cooperative, cold as ice older brother…. But when he comes back…”

Vinnie waited while Sonny gathered his thoughts.

“When he comes back that look of his…if it could get worse, it was the worst ever. Like a black, blinding glare that burns if you look directly at it. Hard. As cold as stars and as distant.”

Sonny leaned back, took a sip of his drink. “Yeah. It was like that, that look. Truly terrible. Makes you take a step back. Two steps. So he comes into the office looking like that. We just stood staring at him. Because yeah he had that scary face and everything, it was real bad, but…” And now Sonny shook his head. “…but in his arms is this little scrap of a dog, the ugliest mutt you ever saw. It was so incongruous. So weird. We just stood there staring at Dave with this look and that dog mirroring Dave’s fearsome look, only sorta in a funny way because in front of that dog’s glare were all these unruly curls, stiff and tangled. His snout was short but pointy. Maybe some kind of pit/terrier mutt or something. He was sorta shit-colored, or maybe he was covered in shit. I don’t recall. But there he was, this glaring dog in scary Dave’s arms, and Dave just standing there pissed and bloodied himself. I wanted to laugh at first. But then I didn’t.”

Sonny took a deep breath. Another drink.

Vinnie said nothing.

“Finally Dave spoke. He says, without any emotion, “You don’t have to worry about those people ever again, Dad.” Well, my father is like, “What happened, Dave? What’s this… this…animal?” Dave says, “Well, that’s where you sent me, Dad. To collect. From a bunch of fucking butchers. Dog fighting. You hate it, Dad. You told me so. You’re not into that.” My dad says, “No, I didn’t know.” “Well,” Dave says, “that’s how they were making the money for the payouts to us. Sorry to have to break it to you but there won’t be anymore payments after today.” And then Dave proceeds to tell us, in a very toneless voice, how he came upon the dog fighting ring merely by following up on an address. It was, well, disgusting really. I’m not into it. I don’t go for that. My family doesn’t go for that. Anyway, Dave, my father’s so very unimpulsive son, the one who didn’t think too much, was so disgusted, so pissed when he saw the starved dogs, the dead dogs, winners also covered in blood, that he just lost it. He blew every one of those assholes off the face of the earth, owners, handlers, all of them. They had no warning. Dave says, “I just started shooting them up. I didn’t care.” Spectators ran. Dogs ran. Cops were called. Dave gathered up all the bets, all the money, and turned to run himself as he heard the approaching sirens. But there was this dog just standing there looking at him. It didn’t run. No one had claimed it. It wasn’t in a cage. He moved away and the dog followed, limping. It was hamstrung. They do that, you know, to some of the dogs, the ones they want to lose, so they don’t have a fighting chance in the ring. They permanently cripple them. So Dave throws the money into the back of his car and then, on impulse, grabs up the dog, too, and roars away.

“So now he’s standing there in the middle of the office telling us all about this, giving Dad the bag of money (over one hundred grand) looking like some crazed asshole homeless guy with a starved, hairy dog in his arms trying to gain sympathy. He says, “If I have any say in it, you should give that money to the Human Society.” I’m floored. I walk up to him, to the dog, reach out to pet him saying, “What’s his name?” and the dog nearly takes my arm off, fangs and fur flying. Dave pulls away. “Don’t touch him, Sonny! I didn’t get him for you!” And the dog goes silent, curling further into Dave’s grasp. I mean, the poor thing, half his ear is missing, he’s got that wild look like a man lost in the desert for weeks…the dog, I mean, not Dave. Dave always had that look.”

Vinnie tries to keep from smiling.

“So, long story short. The dog lived. He was Dave’s dog. Only Dave could handle him. No one else could go near him. He lived at their home peacefully with his own little yard and a bed in the washroom. But he didn’t use that bed all that often. I personally know he slept on Dave’s bed at Dave’s feet every night, despite the protests of my sister-in-law. And then…”

Vinnie was no slouch. He was quick. He supplied the line. “Dave died.”

“Yeah.” Sonny downed the rest of his whiskey. “Yeah. He did. And the dog still lives there. He looks around the house for Dave, been doing it for months, and when he can’t find him he just goes to his bed and lies there. He eats but he doesn’t do much else. We didn’t think the dog was long for this world anyway. We didn’t think he had much strength left, I mean he’s half-blind, probably deaf, and walks on three legs. But he’s lived all these years, must be about fifteen years old now. And he keeps looking for Dave and now, well, somehow he got outside to the front…the street. He kept going. Now he’s missing.”

Vinnie blinked. “You went out tonight to go look for a dog?”

“I promised Dave if anything ever happened to him I’d look out for his family. That includes Nipper. Little Tracy named him that because every time she went near him he tried to bite her.”

So that was Sonny’s big dark secret? A ruined mutt named Nipper? Vinnie slumped low on the couch, crossed his arms. He tried not to laugh. “Jesus, Sonny, that’s the most pathetic story I’ve ever heard.” But somehow, also, the most tragic, he thought.

Sonny put a finger to the bridge of his nose. “I know, right?”

“I gotta ask, did you find the dog…Nipper?”

Sonny shook his head.

Vinnie looked up at him. “Well, you’re gonna let me help you find him. All right?”

Sonny stared at him.

“We’ll leave no stone unturned. He can’t have gone far, a little guy like that, crippled, maybe blind.”

Sonny gulped.

“We’ll find him.” Vinnie sat up. “I’ll find him.”

“But you said…”

“What? Your story’s pathetic? Yeah.” Vinnie ran his hands through his bangs. “And irresistible. We gotta fucking save that dog.”

Sonny leaned forward, catching his hand from his hair, fingers wrapping around his wrist. “When did you get so beautiful?”

Vinnie smiled up at him, that heat lost so early in the evening returning to a full-on conflagration.

*

It was nine in the morning when they officially started their search, phone calls to animal shelters and neighborhood canvassing.

It was an important task, to be sure, but nothing the OCB would be interested in. And nothing that superseded the tingles Vinnie still felt all over his body from Sonny’s very gracious, very lingering touches the night before.

This was getting into dangerous territory. The caring part. And loving the fact that he was helping Sonny with such a personal matter. He wasn’t on the job. Certainly not now. And what would he tell Frank? “Oh, we spent the day looking for a lost mutt. Want I should come in from the cold now? ‘Cause there’s nothing here. These are not the droids you’re looking for.” Dave Steelgrave had killed Stan. He’d come for Dave. But Dave was dead now. What was left? A hot and fiery impulsive little brother who’d inherited a mob seat and a mess of a mutt named Nipper.

Vinnie was no longer looking to make arrests. He was looking for ways to save the day.

After even just a few hours, it was looking futile. No one had seen, nor even heard of the unfortunate, ill-looking creature who may or may not answer to the name of “Nipper.”

Vinnie said, as they were walking along the plush, green tree-lined neighborhood of the upper class Steelgrave abode, “We’re thinking too linearly.”

Sonny turned his head. “Huh?”

“We gotta think like a dog. Or more accurately, that dog.”

“I have no idea what that dog was thinking. Ever.”

“Yes, you do. Be fair now. You accused me of thinking the world is fair but there are times when…well…you choose to be. You gotta open your eyes.”

“But we’ve looked everywhere.”

“Think like the dog. What is going on for him?”

“Hell, I don’t…”

“Listen to me. It’s not hard. He’s grieving. He’s missing his master.”

Sonny nodded thoughtfully. “And without his master, he’s scared.”

“Scared. Yeah. That’s good. What do scared animals or people do? They hide.”

“So you’re saying maybe he didn’t really wander too far? That he’s nearby but just too afraid to come out? It’s true, he didn’t like anyone but Dave. But if no one can get near him, Vinnie, we’re fucked. He won’t let us catch him even if we do find him.”

“It’s not like he can run too fast.”

“Yeah, but he can bite.”

“He’s fifteen. Does he even have any teeth left?”

Sonny frowned. “Good point.” Then he turned back toward the estate. “Nipper. Nipper buddy. Where are you?”

Vinnie watched him for a moment, smiling behind his back, heart stirring. This was not what he had signed on for, but he liked it anyway.

*

It was Vinnie who finally found him. Crouched under a bush in a neighbor’s yard looking terrified, bedraggled, half-crazed. He was ugly as a used mop in a greasy spoon, tangled curls covered in burrs and dead leaves, eyes liquid and caked around the edges.

Sonny was on the other side of the street, still calling. Not wanting to alarm the dog, Vinnie quietly knelt, put out his hand, and said his name. The dog flinched. Then very slowly he moved toward Vinnie, first on his belly squirming but hesitant, then lifting himself a bit on his front legs, standing awkwardly on three legs, shuddering.

Vinnie stayed very still. Maybe the dog would bite but he figured he’d live through it. “Do your best, bud,” he said softly. “I won’t hurt you.”

After about thirty seconds, the dog moved forward and tentatively sniffed Vinnie’s fingers. It seemed to consider him for a moment, dog thoughts rustling with dog world perception. Then Nipper gave a very heavy sigh and leaned his head into his hand. Without a second thought Vinnie picked him up. The dog did not try to bite him. Instead it pressed into his side, still shivering and leaned his head against his chest. It was as if they’d been old friends separated for years and finally meeting again. Vinnie said, “It’s okay now. I got you. You hungry, little fella? You want your dinner after a long night of adventure?”

He turned toward the street spying Sonny across the dark road surrounded in summer green foliage of expertly landscaped, upper class yards. He looked so normal, tanned and young, dressed in a short sleeved gold button up shirt and jeans. A regular guy on foot searching for the family pet.

He smiled, remembering their night together, the ease, the intimacy, the resulting transitional fire. He loved Sonny hopelessly now. He couldn’t make his heart stop that response if he tried.

“Sonny…!” But Sonny had already seen him and was jogging toward them.

“You found him? Holy shit I can’t believe you found him!”

Vinnie said, “Yeah, under that bush.” The dog still shuddered in his arms but kept quiet, motionless, not fighting.

Sonny stopped when he got about five feet away. “He didn’t try to bite you?”

“Naw. He’s not so bad.”

Sonny took a step forward, reached out a hand to the dog and suddenly Nipper growled and gave a short, sharp bark. Sonny snatched his hand away. “Jesus! You were saying?”

“Well, he’s just a little scared, that’s all.”

“Yeah, a little. Dave was the only one who could even do that…pick him up, hold him. And now he just comes to you? What are you, a magic guy?”

Vinnie grinned, shrugged. He patted the dog’s head absently. “Now what do we do?”

Sonny sighed. “Lana will want to know the dog’s safe. But for months all she’s been able to do for him is let him in and out and put his food out for him. She’s been complaining she wants to get rid of him. It’s for Dave that I even came out looking for him. It’s for Dave that she’s kept him even this long.”

“She doesn’t want him back?”

“She didn’t want to see him hurt, but…”

Vinnie looked down at the ragamuffin piece of fluff in his arms. “Sonny, I can’t keep a dog.” But even as he said it, he realized he was a total sucker for hard cases.

“I know.” Sonny’s tone softened. “I know.”

*

Vinnie leaned back against the soft pillow, sweating and still tingly. Sonny completed the evening of mutual pleasure by giving him a stunning and moist kiss that left his lips parted, still craving more. Sonny’s hand lay heavy and heated on his chest. His body felt light, sated. He couldn’t remember ever feeling quite this good.

He flung his hand to the side and hit something. It dropped to the floor with a tiny squeak and was silent.

“There goes the bunny,” Sonny said.

“Which one?” Vinnie asked, laughing. “You bought him a green one AND a blue one.”

“He likes to bring the blue one to bed. But where’d he go?”

“I think our shenanigans scared him off.” Vinnie sat up, body slowly cooling, and looked around the big bedroom of Sonny’s penthouse suite. “Oh, there he is.” Nipper lay curled in an ultra-cushioned dog bed in the corner of the room fast asleep. Later in the night he would come to them and bed down at Vinnie’s feet. But for now, what Vinnie and Sonny had been doing had apparently bored him into early slumber far away from the shakings of the bed.

At the foot of the bed was a small pile of toys…what hadn’t been kicked off to the floor by amorous wrestling. Sonny had spared no expense there. A mutated looking stuffed giraffe lay across a fuzzy lamb. Joining the melee was a yellow-furred smiley face, a squirrel and a penguin. In other rooms of the suite the floor was littered with chew bones and plastic squeak-toys.

The dog might hate Sonny but it couldn’t deny that Sonny lavished gifts in the usual manner of the youngest, most generous of the Steelgrave sons. Vinnie could attest to that. His first day with Sonny had been not so different. Sonny had, in less than one hour, outfitted Vinnie with new digs, new clothes and a car. In the same fashion, when they finally took the dog home with them at Lana’s desperate request, Sonny had stopped at the pet store and nearly bought it out. Moving everything in, including the dog and Vinnie, seemed dangerous. And crazy. It was beyond crazy. But such was life.

Sonny sat up, following Vinnie’s gaze to the corner of the room. “You know, I’ll never truly understand Dave’s affection for that horrible mutt. I mean, look, I’ve given him everything and he still only likes you.”

“He’ll come ‘round,” Vinnie said. “It just takes time.”

“He tries to bite me no matter what!”

Vinnie turned to him, smiling, then kissed him. “Maybe ‘cause you taste good.”

Sonny smirked. “I’m doing this for Dave. That’s the only reason. Otherwise that dog would be history.”

Vinnie remembered two full carts of dog toys, dog beds, dog food, even a box of dog grass for the enclosed balcony, and said, “I’m not so sure.”

“Well, who would want such a creature? Why did Dave even love such a horror?”

Vinnie let him go. The glimmer in Sonny’s eyes was light, teasing. Vinnie touched his arm. It was utter lunacy, what he was doing. Against every training rule he’d been taught. Falling for the mark. “Haven’t you ever found yourself drawn to exactly the wrong person?”

Sonny looked thoughtful.

“Maybe now?” Vinnie added, remembering a moment when Sonny had whispered, “This is so dangerous, dammit, but oh Vinnie…”

Vinnie said, “You see something no one else does. You just know. It doesn’t matter if that person is scary, ugly, untouchable…or a criminal.” Maybe he’d gone too far, but Sonny didn’t react, so Vinnie continued. “The beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Maybe your brother saw something of a kindred spirit in this animal. That day, when he found the dog ring and all the violence…maybe he just snapped. But he didn’t turn away or give in. He took it down. It left a message your world won’t forget for a long, long time. And that dog…it followed him. It was injured, treated horribly, unloved, but it didn’t give up, either. The dog saw that Dave was its only way out and it took it. Dave may have scooped up all the betting money that day, but he scooped up that dog, too. Maybe it was something he saw in that dog, …a kindred spirit, something brave, something vulnerable. Maybe he just needed saving and your brother was the one to do it. Who knows?”

“Is that how come you like that thing, then?” Sonny asked. Without waiting for an answer: “And why does it like you?” Sonny often referred to Nipper as “it” or “that thing” when he was feeling excluded. His thigh pressed Vinnie’s. He threw one leg possessively over his, waiting for the answer.

Vinnie looked directly at Sonny now, gaze never wavering. It was as if he could feel Sonny’s heart beating in time with his own. Entranced, he said, “I see a strong heart, loyalty, courage, defiance. And I see worth. I’m not turning my back just because I’m supposed to, or it’s the easier way. There is life here worth saving. I wouldn’t be any kind of man if I didn’t try.” He didn’t blink.

Sonny looked back, gaze open, vulnerable, completely enchanted. “No,” he said quietly. “You wouldn’t.” They reached for each other at the same time.

Safe, secure, Nipper slept deeply in the bedroom shadows until they were finished. Then he climbed up onto the bed and curled up at Vinnie’s feet. Vinnie shifted his leg slightly to accommodate him and drew a sleeping Sonny closer.

(end)

**Author's Note:**

> If you enjoyed this work by Natasha Solten, you may also enjoy her m/m romances on Kindle under her non-fanfic name: Wendy Rathbone. Look for "The Foundling," "The Secret Sharer" and the soon to be released "None Can Hold the Dark" (due in fall 2013.) She also has an sf novel out, and a collection of poetry.


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